1. Field
The present disclosure relates generally to manufacturing and, in particular, to a method and apparatus for continuously fabricating composite structures. Still more particularly, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for cutting continuously fabricated composite structures.
2. Background
In manufacturing parts, continuous fabrication systems may be employed to fabricate parts from composite structures. For example, a continuous fabrication system may manufacture a composite structure having a first face sheet and a second face sheet with a core sandwiched between the two fiberglass sheets. As another example, the continuous fabrication system may manufacture the face sheets with carbon sheets instead of fiberglass sheets.
This composite structure may be continuously manufactured in a continuous fabrication system. For example, the composite structure may be fed through the continuous fabrication system. The continuous fabrication system may apply pressure and/or heat to the composite structure to cause the components to cure, bond, attach, and/or adhere to each other. The structure output from the continuous fabrication system may be a processed composite structure.
As a result, the composite structure may be fabricated continuously. For example, without limitation, a completed composite structure may exit the continuous fabrication system, while an uncured and/or unprocessed portion of the composite structure enters the continuous fabrication system for processing.
Parts may be cut out of the processed portion of the composite structure. For example, without limitation, these types of composite structures may be used for floorboards on aircraft, truck cabs, and/or other suitable vehicles. These composite structures also may be used to fabricate other types of parts such as, for example, without limitation, floor beams, longerons, stringers, ribs, skin panels, and other suitable types of parts.
Typically, after the parts are formed from the composite structure, the parts may be inspected to identify inconsistencies. If an inconsistency is present within the part, a determination may be made as to whether the part can be reworked or may be discarded.
This type of manufacturing environment may result in three discreet steps. One step may involve manufacturing the composite structure. A second step may involve cutting parts out of the composite structure, and a third step may involve inspecting the composite structure.
This type of fabrication of parts, however, may result in an increase in the cost of parts when inconsistencies are found and parts are discarded. Further, if the part with the inconsistency can be reworked, the amount of time needed to manufacture the part may be increased.
Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a method and apparatus that takes into account one or more of the issues discussed above, as well as possibly other issues.